PRESS RELEASE: Nga Puhi

Ngapuhi leader concerned with Talley’s continued lock out tactics

Sonny Tau, Chairman for Te Runanga A Iwi O Ngapuhi, does not believe Talley’s has thought through the implications of their continued lockout of AFFCO staff.

Mr Tau says Iwi Chairs will call for a meeting with Talley’s and the Union in the next few days to get parties sitting around the bargaining table to try and break this deadlock.

“Iwi Chairs have been watching this closely and are concerned at the impact this lockout is having on our whanau.

“It’s estimated that up to 5000 children are impacted by this lockout, many of them Maori It saddens me to think that after all the hard work of trying to settle this matter, Talley’s continue to lock our people out; our whanau and their families don’t need this. It needs to end.”

On 24 February this year, after only 10 hours of negotiations for a new Collective Agreement, Talley’s gave the Meat Workers Union notice of an indefinite lockout for 770 of its 1300 members, leaving the remaining to continue working. As at 2 May, these workers have been locked out for 65 days without pay. Some locked out workers are entitled to an emergency WINZ benefit – those on strike are not.

Said Mr Tau: “Our people are not on strike. They are being ‘locked out’ because they are union members and are keen to remain under a hard fought Collective Agreement. They are being locked out by Talley’s for reasons that are easily sorted”.

Mr Tau expressed his concern at the length of time Talley’s is taking to work through the issues. Said Mr Tau: “At the end of the day, Talley’s is able to keep their operations going with non-union labour, which means the efforts to end the ‘lock out’ are a lesser priority”. He said people are not fools. Making a stand for this length of time demonstrates the seriousness of the situation.

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